Sasha Grey to Participate in Rally Across Russia

The ex-porn star will drive a Russian sedan once tested by President Vladimir Putin.

MOSCOW -- Ex-porn star Sasha Grey is coming to Russia on May 15 to take part in a drive from the Far East city of Vladivostok to Moscow.

The rally is organized by the automobile website Drom.ru, which sees it as a test drive and a promotional event.

“It’s no secret that in Russia, Sasha Grey is basically an Internet meme,” Kseniya Frolova, a spokesperson for Drom.ru, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And we, Drom.ru, are an Internet company with a long history, so we thought the idea of inviting Ms. Grey was quite interesting.”

“Excited to announce that @DromRU is bringing me to Russia for a rally, watch out!!!” Grey wrote on her Twitter account.

“We are very glad that she agreed,” says Frolova. “But the rally would have gone ahead even without Grey because we regularly test cars manufactured in Russia.”

Grey is to drive a Lada Kalina, the same model of sedan that President Vladimir Putin drove for 350 kilometers (about 217 miles) in Russia’s Far East back in 2010 in a bid to test the car’s performance. As it was later discovered by bloggers, another car of the same make and model was carried along out of fear that the one driven by Putin would break down.

Drom.ru said it is covering Grey’s current expenses, but she could also cash in by playing some DJ sets once the rally is over, as some clubs have expressed interest.

The distance between Moscow and Vladivostok is roughly 9,000 kilometers, almost 6,000 miles. The arrival date in the capital has not been set yet.